How to create private variables within a namespace? - javascript

For my web application, I am creating a namespace in JavaScript like so:
var com = {example: {}};
com.example.func1 = function(args) { ... }
com.example.func2 = function(args) { ... }
com.example.func3 = function(args) { ... }
I also want to create "private" (I know this doesn't exist in JS) namespace variables but am not sure what's the best design pattern to use.
Would it be:
com.example._var1 = null;
Or would the design pattern be something else?

Douglas Crockford popularized so called Module Pattern where you can create objects with "private" variables:
myModule = function () {
//"private" variable:
var myPrivateVar = "I can be accessed only from within myModule."
return {
myPublicProperty: "I'm accessible as myModule.myPublicProperty"
}
};
}(); // the parens here cause the anonymous function to execute and return
But as you said Javascript doesn't truly have private variables and I think this is somewhat of a cludge, which break other things. Just try to inherit from that class, for example.

Closures are frequently used like this to simulate private variables:
var com = {
example: (function() {
var that = {};
// This variable will be captured in the closure and
// inaccessible from outside, but will be accessible
// from all closures defined in this one.
var privateVar1;
that.func1 = function(args) { ... };
that.func2 = function(args) { ... } ;
return that;
})()
};

After 7 years this might come quite late, but I think this might be useful for other programmers with a similar problem.
A few days ago I came up with the following function:
{
let id = 0; // declaring with let, so that id is not available from outside of this scope
var getId = function () { // declaring its accessor method as var so it is actually available from outside this scope
id++;
console.log('Returning ID: ', id);
return id;
}
}
This might only be useful if you are in a global scope and want to declare a variable that is not accessible from anywhere except your function that sets the value of id one up and returns its value.

Related

Constructor function - in simple namespace - Javascript

In want to define a function-constructor inside a namespace. The way in which I defined the constructor till now was a simple constructor function without NS, combined with prototypal inheritance.
The code looked kind of like:
function mySuperObject() {
var self = this;
self.p1 = "";
self.p2 = "jkejie";
// and others
}
mySuperObject.prototype.func1 = function(){...}
// and others
Introducing namespace:
After reading many articles I decided to start up with a very simple way to define a namespace, maybe the most simplest.
Basically it is just about defining a variable which points to an object-literal and the content is the object (the "mySuperObject" in the code-snippet above). The constructor function is following: mySuperObjectInNS.
The code of the object:
var MYNAMESPACE = {
//some variable outside the object
file : "ConstructorInNamespace_obj.js: ",
//Defining contructor function inside a namespace
mySuperObjectInNS : function(propOne, propTwo){
var self = this;
self.objectName = "mySuperObject";
self.propertyOne = propOne;
self.propertyTwo = propTwo;
self.doSomething = function(){
console.log(file + " doSomething called - function of object");
};
///many more functions and attributes
}
}
MYNAMESPACE.mySuperObjectInNS.prototype.specialFunction = function(){
console.log(file + " specialFunction called - prototypical inheritance defined in file of object, outside of namespace");
};
///many more functions and attributes
In another file it is possible to intantiate the object, as follows:
...
var objOne = new MYNAMESPACE.mySuperObjectInNS("param11", "40");
//following line works just fine
objOne.doSomething();
....
Questions:
It seems to me that this all is about defining an Object-Literal and
I will come into trouble the latest I am trying to define "private"
properties of that object. Is this correct?
Is that mySuperObjectInNS still a constructor function? (For me it
seems it is something else,even if I can intantiate objects from it.
Is is a very bad very bad way of namespacing or is kind of ok?
It seems to me that this all is about defining an Object-Literal and I will come into trouble the latest I am trying to define "private" properties of that object. Is this correct?
"Private properties" have nothing to do with using an object for namespacing. In fact, originally when answering this question, I read that as "private functions" because that would be relevant.
There are lots of ways to do private and semi-private properties in JavaScript, but they relate to how you create the constructor function and the methods it gives the object, not how you expose the constructor function. "Namespace" objects are about how you expose the constructor.
One common pattern for creating "private" properties is to define methods that need to access them within the constructor, and make the "properties" local variables within the constructor (so they aren't really properties at all), like this:
function SuperObject() {
var privateInformation;
this.method = function() {
// This can access `privateInformation`, which is completely
// hidden from outside the constructor
};
}
It doesn't matter at all if you do that within a "namespacing" pattern or on its own.
Private functions, on the other hand, affect the pattern. I'll show both below.
A fairly common variant that provides for private functions is to use a function to create the object, which also gives you the opportunity to create private functions:
var TheNamespace = function() {
function privateFunction() {
}
function SuperObject() {
var privateInformation;
this.method = function() {
// This can access `privateInformation`, which is completely
// hidden from outside the constructor
};
}
SuperObject.prototype.otherMethod = function() {
// Can't access `privateInformation`, but has the advantage
// that the function is shared between instances
};
return {
SuperObject: SuperObject
};
}();
// usage
var s = new TheNamespace.SuperObject();
Is that mySuperObjectInNS still a constructor function? (For me it seems it is something else,even if I can intantiate objects from it.
Yes. A constructor function is any function that expect you to use new with it.
Is is a very bad very bad way of namespacing or is kind of ok?
Using objects as pseudo-namespaces is common practice. You might also consider various asynchronous module definition (AMD) technologies, which largely make "namespace" objects largely unnecessary.
Re your comment:
You defined a self-invoking function....which returns an an object?
It's not a self-invoking function, it's an inline-invoked function, but yes, it's a function that returns an object.
(if so I think parantheses are missing)
No, we don't need any parens that aren't there because the only reason for the outer parens other places you've seen this are to tell the parser that the word function starts an expression rather than declaration; we don't need that in the above because we're already on the right-hand side of an assignment, so there's no ambiguity when function is encountered.
Due to you proposed this way, is it a better way to define the ns?
"Better" is a subjective term. It gives you a scope in which you can define private functions, which you'd asked about.
Whereas I often also saw the option: var = {} | someNSName; What is this all about?
If you have several files that will add things to the "namespace" (as is common), then you frequently see this in each of them:
var TheNamespace = TheNamespace || {};
What that does is declare the variable if it hasn't been declared before, and assign an empty object to it if it doesn't already have one. In the first file that gets loaded, this happens:
The var is processed and creates a new variable, TheNamespace, with the value undefined.
The TheNameSpace = TheNameSpace || {} assignment is processed: Since undefined is falsey, the curiously-powerful || operator results in the new {}, which gets assigned to TheNamespace.
When the next file loads, this happens:
The var is a no-op, because the variable already exists.
The TheNameSpace = TheNameSpace || {} assignment is processed: Since TheNamespace has a non-null object reference, it's truthy, and the curiously-powerful || operator results in a reference to the object TheNamespace refers to.
That is, it has no effect at all.
This is used so you can load the files in any order, or load just one file in isolation.
Here's an example:
thingy.js:
var TheNamespace = TheNamespace || {};
TheNamespace.Nifty = function() {
function privateFunction() {
}
function Nifty() {
var privateInformation;
this.method = function() {
// Can access `privateInformation` here
};
}
Nifty.prototype.otherMethod = function() {
// ...
};
return Nifty;
}();
thingy.js:
var TheNamespace = TheNamespace || {};
TheNamespace.Thingy = function() {
function privateFunction() {
}
function Thingy() {
var privateInformation;
this.method = function() {
// Can access `privateInformation` here
};
}
Thingy.prototype.otherMethod = function() {
// ...
};
return Thingy;
}();
There are lots of variations on that basic pattern, particularly if one file may add multiple things to TheNamespace. Here's one that supports doing so fairly concisely:
var TheNamespace = function(exports) {
function privateFunction() {
}
function Nifty() {
var privateInformation;
this.method = function() {
// Can access `privateInformation` here
};
}
Nifty.prototype.otherMethod = function() {
// ...
};
exports.Nifty = Nifty;
function Thingy() {
var privateInformation;
this.method = function() {
// Can access `privateInformation` here
};
}
Thingy.prototype.otherMethod = function() {
// ...
};
exports.Thingy = Thingy;
}(TheNamespace || {});

Javascript - define object with private variables without function

Usually, you can create private variables by using var x instead of this.x in defining function and then you create objects like so: var o = new SomeClass(). However, I need something like PHP class with static methods (object with private variables without any further assigning). Same like defining class and then creating the object from it, but directly defining the object, while still maintaining private variables. Is it possible?
EDIT:
Normal private variable definition:
function SomeClass() {
var x = '1dg5456awd32tr5';
this.getX = function() {return private;}
}
var o = new SomeClass();
o.getX();
How to save that x variable without using the function?
I don't know if I have understood correctly your question but you can take advantage of the javascript scope behaviour by creating something like this: http://jsfiddle.net/2R8yY/
var Order = (function(){
var company = 'ACME';
var klassOrder = function(){};
klassOrder.getCompany = function(){
return company;
}
return klassOrder;
})();
console.log(Order.getCompany()); // -> ACME
Privacy of the local variable scope is not restricted to constructor functions. However, you always need to invoke a function to create a "private" scope - even if that function is not assigned to any identifier.
You seem to be looking for Immediately-Executed Function Expressions or the module pattern.
var o = (function() {
var x = '1dg5456awd32tr5';
return {getX: function() {return private;}};
}());
o.getX();
Just so you know, in JavaScript functions are objects.
Because JavaScript scope is functional, it becomes easy to restrict member variable access by declaring local variables in a function's scope. Most commonly, the Facade Pattern or Module Pattern are used.
Are you looking for something like this?
var SomeClass = (function(myPrivateThingy) {
var privateInt = myPrivateThingy;
return function() {
this.getInt = function() { return privateInt; }
}
}());
var instance = new SomeClass(99);
// instance.getInt() === 99

How to access properties of object created and returned from a function

var steve = function() {
var bob = {};
bob.WayCoolTest = function () {console.log('done deal');};
return bob;
}
window["steve"]["WayCoolTest"]
running this in chrome console, my test app, anywhere results with undefined. I do not understand why, can someone explain why this does not work and help me fix it. Thank you very much!!
Using window is usually redundant - let me demonstrate:
var foo = '123';
alert(foo); //123
alert(window.foo) //123
alert(window['foo']) //123
It is evident which is more convenient. There is a circumstance in which the use of window makes sense, but that circumstance is almost always because of poor architecture. Using window allows us to access a variable global variable - funny wording :) This should clear it up:
var foo = '123';
var bar = 'abc';
var prop;
if (blah) { //some condition here
prop = 'foo';
}
else {
prop = 'bar';
}
Now...how can we use prop to get the value of a corresponding variable?
console.log(window[prop]); //123 or abc - bracket notation lets us use variable property names
This sort of thing is very common within objects, but not with window. The reason is that we should be avoiding global variables (properties of window) as much as possible. Therefore, any logic that needs a variable property name should be inside of an object, dealing with objects - NOT window. Now window can be out of the picture.
It is usually bad practice to create functions inside of other functions. That would mean that each time you call function A, you recreate function B. Most of the time, people do that because they don't know better, not because they need to.
It appears to me that you intended to give steve a property called WayCoolTest, both being functions. That can be done.
var steve = function() {
console.log("I'm Steve!");
}
steve.WayCoolTest = function() {
console.log("I'm a Way Cool Test!");
}
steve(); //I'm Steve!
steve.WayCoolTest(); //I'm a Way Cool Test!
This works because functions are objects in javascript. Therefore, you can add properties to them.
Let's step it up!
To emphasize good practices, I'm going to wrap this example in an object testApp (it acts like a namespace..we're using that instead of window).
I will create a property of testApp called steve, which will be a function.
Rather than creating steve directly as a function, I will use an IIFE (immediately invoked function expression), which is a function that will return something to be set as steve.
Inside the IIFE, I will create the function for steve and also attach WayCoolTest to it, as demonstrated in the previous example, then that function is returned and assigned to steve.
var testApp = {
steve : (function() {
var steve = function() { //the name here doesn't matter, just being consistent, since this will be the value of the property `steve`.
console.log("I'm Steve!");
}
steve.WayCoolTest = function() {
console.log("I'm a Way Cool Test!");
}
return steve;
}());
};
testApp.steve(); //I'm Steve;
testApp.steve.WayCoolTest(); //I'm a Way Cool Test!
Now, let's consider another variation.
var testApp = {
steve : (function() {
var steve = function() { //the name here doesn't matter, just being consistent, since this will be the value of the property `steve`.
console.log("I'm Steve!");
WayCoolTest(); //Steve can use this, but nothing else can! Encapsulation.
}
var WayCoolTest = function() { //THIS PART!! No longer a property of "steve"
console.log("I'm a Way Cool Test!");
}
return steve;
}());
};
testApp.steve(); //I'm Steve! I'm a Way Cool Test
testApp.steve.WayCoolTest(); //undefined, of course
That is very useful if for example steve is a complicated function and you want to break it up into some other small functions that only steve will know about.
To complement the other answers, your code would work this way:
var steve = function() {
var bob = {};
bob.WayCoolTest = function () {console.log('done deal');};
return bob;
}
window["steve"]()["WayCoolTest"]();
or
var steve = (function() {
var bob = {};
bob.WayCoolTest = function () {console.log('done deal');};
return bob;
})();
window["steve"]["WayCoolTest"]();
or, the dirtiest way...
steve=(function() {
var bob = {};
bob.__defineGetter__("WayCoolTest", function () {console.log('done deal');});
return bob;
})();
window["steve"]["WayCoolTest"];
Assuming steve is in the global scope and you dont seem to use steve as a constructor you can use immediate function and return the new object that you have created inside of it.
var steve = (function () {
var bob = {};
bob.WayCoolTest = function () {
console.log('done deal');
};
return bob;
})();
window["steve"]["WayCoolTest"]();
If it is in a closure then you would have to either remove var for hoisting to happen so it becomes a part of window or set it to the window object as a property.
window.steve = (function () {
var bob = {};
bob.WayCoolTest = function () {
console.log('done deal');
};
return bob;
})();
If you declare using var it doesn't get associated with the global window scope. It's instead a local variable. Also bob is not a property on the steve object they way you have it set up

Way to make global private variables in javascript?

Is there a way to create private global variables in JavaScript? I have tried looking around, and I keep bumping into talk of constructors - which don't seem too global.
Thanks
Not sure what your use case is. I'll assume you have a js script file containing some functions and variables and you want to expose some of those globally, but keep the rest private to your script file. You can achieve this with a closure. Basically you create a function that you execute immediately. Inside the function you place your original code. You then export the functions you need into the global scope.
// Define a function, evaluate it inside of parenthesis
// and execute immediately.
(function(export) {
var myPrivateVariable = 10;
function myPrivateFunction(param) {
return param + myPrivateVariable;
}
export.myGlobalFunction = function(someNumber) {
return myPrivateFunction(someNumber);
};
})(this); // The *this* keyword points to *window* which
// is *the* global scope (global object) in a web browser
// Here it is a parameter - the *export* variable inside the function.
// This is executed in the global scope
myGlobalFunction(2); // yields 12 (i.e. 2 + 10)
myPrivateVariable; // Error, doesn't exist in the global scope
myPrivateFunction(2) // Error, doesn't exist in the global scope
To answer your question, no, that is not possible as there are no access modifiers in javascript. A variable declared in global scope is accessible to any function.
As pointed out in the comments to this answer, you can create objects which have private members. Crockford has a page on private members in Javascript. He uses the following code to illustrate his point:
function Container(param) {
// private method
function dec() {
if (secret > 0) {
secret -= 1;
return true;
} else {
return false;
}
}
this.member = param;
var secret = 3;
var that = this;
// privileged method
this.service = function () {
return dec() ? that.member : null;
};
}
In the above example, param, secret, and that are all private in that they are not accessible from the outside. To be more clear, these variables can only be accessed by privileged or private methods, the difference being that privileged methods can be called from any instance of the object. As is suggested in the comments, this is achievable by using closures.
Quoting from Crockford for a quick explanation on closures, but you can find plenty of related questions.
What this means is that an inner function always has access to the
vars and parameters of its outer function, even after the outer
function has returned.
in order to have private members. you need to use closures.
following code help you understanding the concept.
function CustomArray () {
this.array = [];
var privateData = 'default data';
this.getPrivateData = function () {
return privateData;
};
this.setPrivateData = function (data) {
privateData = data;
};
};
CustomArray.prototype.push = function (data) {
this.array.push(data);
};
CustomArray.prototype.unshift = function (data) {
this.array.unshift(data);
};
CustomArray.prototype.pop = function () {
this.array.pop();
};
CustomArray.prototype.shift = function () {
this.array.shift();
};
CustomArray.prototype.print = function () {
console.log(this.array.join(','));
};
var array = new CustomArray();
array.push(10);
array.push(20);
array.push(30);
array.push(5);
array.unshift(3);
array.unshift(2);
array.unshift(1);
array.unshift(0);
array.pop();
array.shift();
array.print();
console.log(array.getPrivateData());// default data
array.setPrivateData('am new private data');
console.log(array.getPrivateData());//am new private data

Dynamically attach a function to grant access to private variables

I'm trying to assign a callback dynamically to an Object of mine, I can't seem to figure out a way to do this while granting this function access to private variables. I've listed the relavant code below with comments where I ran into walls.
Object Factory
function makeObj ( o ) {
function F() {}
F.prototype = o;
return new F();
}
Module
var MODULE = (function(){
var myMod = {},
privateVar = "I'm private";
return myMod;
})();
Various Attempts
myMod.someDynamicFunc = function someDynamicFunc(){
//privateVar === undefined;
alert( privateVar );
}
myMod.someDynamicFunc();
myMod.prototype.someDynamicFunc = function someDynamicFunc(){
//ERROR: Cannot set property 'someDynamicFunc' of undefined
alert(privateVar);
}
myMod.someDynamicFunc();
In this attempt I tried making a setter in the module object... to no avail.
var MODULE = (function(){
var myMod = {},
privateVar = "I'm private";
myMod.setDynamicFunction = function ( func ){
if(func !== undefined && typeof func === "function"){
//Uncaught TypeError:
// Cannot read property 'dynamicFunction' of undefined
myMod.prototype.dynamicFunction = func;
//also tried myMod.dynamicFunction = func;
}
}
return myMod;
})();
var myModule = makeObject( MODULE );
myModule.setDynamicFunction(function(){
alert(privateVar);
});
myModule.dynamicFunction();
Am I just using JavaScript wrong? I'd really like to be able to assign callbacks after the object is initiated. Is this possible?
You can't access the private variable via a callback function set dynamically (since it can't be a closure if it's attached later), but you can set up a system by which you would be able to access the variable:
var MODULE = (function(){
var myMod = {},
privateVar = "I'm private";
myMod.callback = function(fn) {fn(privateVar);};
return myMod;
})();
var someDynamicFunc = function(param) {alert(param);};
myMod.callback(someDynamicFunc);
Of course, this makes it not really private, since anyone could do this. I don't see how it would be possible at all for you to have a "private" variable that you access via dynamically attached functions, without allowing anyone else's dynamically attached functions to have the same privilege (thus making it not really private).
I guess you did not really understand exactly how closures work.
Closures mean that scopes always have access to the outer scope they were defined in.
function Counter(start) {
var count = start;
return {
increment: function() { // has access to the outer scope
count++;
},
get: function() {
return count;
}
}
}
var foo = new Counter(4);
foo.increment();
foo.get(); // 5
The above example returns two closures, both the function increment as well as get keep a reference to the count variable defined in the constructor.
One cannot access count from the outside, the only way to interact with it is via the two "closured" functions.
Remember, closures work by keeping a reference to their outer scopes, so the following does not work:
var foo = new Counter(4);
foo.hack = function() { // is not getting defined in the same scope that the original count was
count = 1337;
};
This will not change the variable count that's inside of Counter since foo.hack was not defined in that scope, instead, it will create or override the global variable count.

Categories